Wednesday, 7 October 2015

Sport: FIFA suspends Sepp Blatter for 90 days

FIFA ethics committee has suspended its president Sepp Blatter for 90
days. Head of the committee, Klaus Stoehlker, who has advised Blatter
in the past, says the committee made the ruling pending further
investigations by the Swiss attorney general following accusations of
corruption.

He described it as a "pending" verdict, and said no negative finding had
been made against the head of world football's governing body.

The announcement comes just hours after Blatter
criticized the criminal investigation against him in Switzerland,
describing it as "outrageous".
He also defended his decision to remain as head of the football
organising body and not step down immediately, as worldwide sponsors
have urged.

The 90-day suspension is the longest FIFA's ethics committee can hand down while they carry out their investigation.

Last month, the Swiss attorney general announced that Blatter will face
charges of "criminal mismanagement" and "misappropriation."
Among the charges is an allegation that Blatter gave a "disloyal
payment" to UEFA president Michel Platini totaling 2 million francs
($2.1 million). That payment is alleged to have been made three months
before Platini announced he would not run against Blather in the 2011
FIFA presidential election.